ON ONE OF MY SEVERAL ROAD TRIPS TO AUSTIN, TEXAS, A WHITE 1959 PONTIAC STAR CHIEF FOUR DOOR POST SEDAN CAUGHT MY EYE IN THE DRIVEWAY OF A VERY RURAL HOME JUST SOUTH OF DALLAS IN A TOWN CALLED DESOTO.
A CLOSE EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT IT WAS A FACTORY AIR CAR. YOU DON’T SEE A LOT OF FACTORY AIR CARS UP NORTH. WHAT A PERFECT DONOR CAR IT WOULD MAKE BECAUSE THE DASH IS IDENTICAL TO A BONNEVILLE. IT HAS THE SAME FRAME AS WELL AS DIMENSIONS OF A BONNEVILLE. IT HAD A 4 BBL 389 INSTEAD OF A 2 BBL. NOTE THE FACTORY A/C REAR AXLE, DIFFERENTIAL RATIOS ARE FAR SUPERIOR TO A NON-AIR CAR FOR ACCELERATION.
THE DOG HOUSE OR WHOLE FRONT OF THE CAR WILL FIT PERFECTLY ON A BONNEVILLE COUPE OR CONVERTIBLE. THE DECK LID AND QUARTER PANELS ALTHOUGH SHORTER IN A POST SEDAN COULD
BE MADE TO WORK ALSO. RUNNING GEAR, DRIVE TRAIN COMPONENTS, FUEL TANKS WERE ALL IN EXCELLENT CONDITION – NO RUST.
I GAVE THE OWNER A SMALL DEPOSIT AND SAID, I WAS ON MY WAY TO AUSTIN AND MIGHT NEED SOME TIME TO TAKE CARE OF THE BALANCE. YOU KEEP THE CAR, THE TITLE AND MY DEPOSIT. HE SAID, FINE WITH ME PARTNER. I HAVE HAD IT SINCE 1959 AND IT’S TIME FOR A NEW HOME. I DID NOT TAKE A PHOTO!
WELL SIX MONTHS LATER AND THE OLD TIMER WAS SELLING HIS SPREAD. I DIDN’T QUITE HAVE THE STORAGE SPACE FOR THE CAR AS I WAS MAYBE MOVING TO AUSTIN. I TOLD HIM TO GO AHEAD AND SELL MY CAR AND KEEP MY DEPOSIT. TEXAS PEOPLE ARE GREAT. THEY DO BUSINESS ON A HAND SHAKE. WHEN HE SOLD THE CAR, HE SENT ME A CHECK FOR MY DEPOSIT. A REAL TEXAS GENTLEMAN.
1973 – 1974
